RDOS Emergency Program Review

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RDOS Emergency Operations Centre

The RDOS Board of Directors commissioned a review of the emergency management program to be completed by April 30, 2023.

The Regional District is gathering direct feedback from RDOS rural residents to help determine the service delivery needs and funding structure for future emergency programming.

Local governments operate within the context of provincial and federal laws, regulations, and policies that also affect how the Regional District responds to major emergencies.

However, the RDOS is seeking to optimize the emergency program to serve the essential needs of citizens wherever possible within the RDOS mandate.

Background

In 2006, the Regional District established a service to provide an emergency management program for the 15 jurisdictions within the RDOS geographic boundaries. Residents and property owners within the RDOS have experienced increasingly frequent and more severe events, and more people are being impacted by these events directly and indirectly. The consensus of hazard, risk, and vulnerability data for B.C. suggests we can expect this trend to continue and worsen even as we continue to have ‘good’ and ‘bad’ years in terms of the impact of hazard events such as floods and wildfires.

In response to this situation, the Regional Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) is operational for longer periods, drawing more staff away from their regular duties to attend to the most urgent priority of public safety. This trend has resulted in increased strain on existing local government staff and resources and strain on the higher number of affected residents and property owners where the hazard event exceeds their ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from the event.

Public Engagement - January/February 2023

The Board is seeking your input during a series of facilitated community focus groups to gather feedback on the RDOS Emergency Program.

An electronic facilitated community focus group took place on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, at 7:00 pm.

The community focus groups are participatory and included facilitated discussions.

The community focus groups investigate the public’s perception of how the emergency program is working now, where it needs to go, and what can be done to close the gap?

Previous Facilitated Community Focus Groups

Community

Date

Time

Site

Address

Princeton

Sun., Feb. 12

2:00 – 4:00 pm

Riverside Community Centre

148 Old Hedley Rd

Okanagan Falls

Wed., Feb. 15

5:00 – 7:00 pm

Okanagan Falls Community Centre

1141 Cedar Street

Keremeos

Sat., Feb. 18

2:00 – 4:00 pm

Similkameen Rec Centre

311 9th Street

Summerland

Sun., Feb. 19

2:00 – 4:00 pm

Summerland Community Centre

9710 Brown Street

Oliver

Wed., Feb. 22

5:00 – 7:00 pm

Oliver Parks and Rec Community Centre

6359 Park Drive

Tulameen

Sun., Feb. 26

2:00 – 4:00 pm

Tulameen Community Club

2595 Coalmont Road


Sharing your experience and knowledge through the community forums will directly inform the recommendations that arise from this review.

The RDOS Emergency Program Review online survey closed Friday, February 17, 2023.

Paper copies were mailed upon request and available for pick-up at the following locations:

  • RDOS Head Office, 101 Martin Street, Penticton
  • Osoyoos Town Hall, 8707 Main Street, Osoyoos
  • Riverside Community Centre, 148 Old Hedley Road, Princeton
  • Similkameen Recreation Centre, 311-9th Street, Keremeos
  • Okanagan Falls Recreation Centre, 1141 Cedar Street, Okanagan Falls



The RDOS Board of Directors commissioned a review of the emergency management program to be completed by April 30, 2023.

The Regional District is gathering direct feedback from RDOS rural residents to help determine the service delivery needs and funding structure for future emergency programming.

Local governments operate within the context of provincial and federal laws, regulations, and policies that also affect how the Regional District responds to major emergencies.

However, the RDOS is seeking to optimize the emergency program to serve the essential needs of citizens wherever possible within the RDOS mandate.

Background

In 2006, the Regional District established a service to provide an emergency management program for the 15 jurisdictions within the RDOS geographic boundaries. Residents and property owners within the RDOS have experienced increasingly frequent and more severe events, and more people are being impacted by these events directly and indirectly. The consensus of hazard, risk, and vulnerability data for B.C. suggests we can expect this trend to continue and worsen even as we continue to have ‘good’ and ‘bad’ years in terms of the impact of hazard events such as floods and wildfires.

In response to this situation, the Regional Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) is operational for longer periods, drawing more staff away from their regular duties to attend to the most urgent priority of public safety. This trend has resulted in increased strain on existing local government staff and resources and strain on the higher number of affected residents and property owners where the hazard event exceeds their ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from the event.

Public Engagement - January/February 2023

The Board is seeking your input during a series of facilitated community focus groups to gather feedback on the RDOS Emergency Program.

An electronic facilitated community focus group took place on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, at 7:00 pm.

The community focus groups are participatory and included facilitated discussions.

The community focus groups investigate the public’s perception of how the emergency program is working now, where it needs to go, and what can be done to close the gap?

Previous Facilitated Community Focus Groups

Community

Date

Time

Site

Address

Princeton

Sun., Feb. 12

2:00 – 4:00 pm

Riverside Community Centre

148 Old Hedley Rd

Okanagan Falls

Wed., Feb. 15

5:00 – 7:00 pm

Okanagan Falls Community Centre

1141 Cedar Street

Keremeos

Sat., Feb. 18

2:00 – 4:00 pm

Similkameen Rec Centre

311 9th Street

Summerland

Sun., Feb. 19

2:00 – 4:00 pm

Summerland Community Centre

9710 Brown Street

Oliver

Wed., Feb. 22

5:00 – 7:00 pm

Oliver Parks and Rec Community Centre

6359 Park Drive

Tulameen

Sun., Feb. 26

2:00 – 4:00 pm

Tulameen Community Club

2595 Coalmont Road


Sharing your experience and knowledge through the community forums will directly inform the recommendations that arise from this review.

The RDOS Emergency Program Review online survey closed Friday, February 17, 2023.

Paper copies were mailed upon request and available for pick-up at the following locations:

  • RDOS Head Office, 101 Martin Street, Penticton
  • Osoyoos Town Hall, 8707 Main Street, Osoyoos
  • Riverside Community Centre, 148 Old Hedley Road, Princeton
  • Similkameen Recreation Centre, 311-9th Street, Keremeos
  • Okanagan Falls Recreation Centre, 1141 Cedar Street, Okanagan Falls